Sky's Still Blue
by BarbyChan4ever
Summary: After her parents' divorce, Anne moves to Dillon, Texas with her mother. She becomes fast friends with Julie, Matt, and Landry, and circumstantially entangled with the Panthers' running back. Eventual Tim/OC.
1. Chapter 1

So I told myself that I would focus on my Power Rangers fic, but after finishing Friday Night Lights (better late than never, right?), I knew I had to write something. I fell in love with this show, and of course, with the incredible Tim Riggins. I'm going to try my best to keep everyone in character, and forgive me if there are any mistakes; English is not my first language.

The title is based on the song by Andrew Belle.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Mom! Have you seen my red headband?" Annette Bradshaw yelled from her new room. Her hands were going through a box, trying to find her favorite accessory. There were clothes all over her bed, and books all over the floor. They had just moved in two days ago, and she was already sick of not being able to find anything.

"It's right here on the kitchen countertop, Annie!" Her mom yelled back from the kitchen.

"What? What the hell is it doing in there?" Anne frowned, running towards the kitchen. Her mom was washing the dishes, humming a song. Anne spotted the headband and grabbed it, making sure that it wasn't wet.

"This place is a mess. I feel like we're never gonna stop unpacking."

Her mother gave her a sympathetic look. "Oh, darling, stop worrying about that. You gotta focus on school tomorrow."

 _School? Or my possible new personal hell?_ She was going to spend her senior year at the Dillon High School, and just thinking about starting over at an unknown place was terrifying. Back in L.A., she had a few friends, but she didn't know anyone in Dillon. _What if no one talks to me?_

"Right. I'm sure I'll be making friends in no time." Anne looked down at the floor, drawing invisible lines in the headband with her fingers.

"I'm sure you will." Her mother reassured her, gently patting Anne's right cheek. "You're a lovely girl."

Anne bit her lip, smiling, and lifted her gaze up. "Thanks, mom."

After finishing cleaning up the room, she prepared her backpack for tomorrow, making sure she didn't forget anything for her first day. Once she got to bed, she fell asleep almost immediately.

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find Mr. Johnson's class?" Anne asked a petite blonde in the hallway. Her mother had given her a ride to school that morning, on her way to her new job at one of the local gift shops. Anne had managed to get her schedule, but couldn't figure out where the classroom was.

"Yeah, it's on the first room right around the corner. I'm in that class too; we could walk together if you want. I'm Julie Taylor." The girl offered Anne her hand, and she firmly shook it.

"Sure, thanks! I'm Anne Bradshaw, nice to meet you." She smiled, relieved that she had found someone nice enough to walk her to class. _Maybe this will be easy after all..._

"So you're new, uh?" Julie asked, once they were in the room. They sat next to each other in the back, murmuring while the teacher wrote some things on the board.

"Yeah, I moved in last Friday."

"Where are you from?"

"Los Angeles." Anne replied, resting her chin on her palm.

Julie's eyes widened. "Wow, you're a long way from home."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I feel like I'm going to have a hard time adjusting here. Everything is so..."

"Boring?" Julie grinned.

"I was going to say simple, but boring is also an accurate word for it." Anne chuckled, glancing towards Mr. Johnson, making sure he couldn't hear them talking. The last thing she needed was to get detention on her first day. "Unless there's some hidden entertainment that I'm missing."

"Well, there are the football games on Friday night."

"Oh, Panthers, right? I saw some signs. I know nothing about football, though. At my old high school there was a basketball team, but I never paid attention to it."

"You can come with me to the game this Friday if you feel like it." Julie gave her a bright smile. _Damn, she's friendly._ "My dad is the coach, so I can't miss it, unless I'm laying in a hospital bed." She giggled. "And my boyfriend is the quarterback, so..."

 _It would be rude to say no, wouldn't it?_ Anne didn't care for football, or any sport for that matter, but she couldn't miss a chance to make friends. "Alright, I'll go. Thank you for inviting me."

They stopped talking once the teacher began with the class, and Anne tried her best to pay attention. She hated algebra, but she made an effort and took plenty of notes.

"Hey, do you wanna come sit with me at lunch?" Julie asked her on their way out of the classroom once the bell rang. "I'll introduce you to my boyfriend and his best friend."

"Sounds good."

Once they got their trays of food, Anne followed Julie towards a table in the middle of the cafeteria. Two boys were sitting next to each other wearing football jerseys. Julie bent down to give a quick kiss to the guy with the 7 on his jersey. They smiled at each other, and Julie gave him a peck on the cheek before she sat down.

"PDA is not something anyone wants to see." The guy in the 85 jersey said.

"Oh, shut up." Julie's boyfriend chuckled, his face red. _Lucky Julie. This guy is as cute as a button._

Julie cleared her throat. "Guys, this is Anne Bradshaw. She's new in town."

Anne smiled at the boys, offering both of her hands for each of them.

"Hey, I'm Matt Saracen."

"Landry Clarke, pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." She replied, shaking their hands. "So, you guys play football?"

"Oh yeah, we're literally the best players on the team." Landry said.

Matt and Julie gave him a weird look, and then they burst into laughter.

"He's exaggerating." Matt said. "But we did win a State Championship two years ago."

"And Landry wasn't on the team when that happened." Julie added.

"Hey!" Landry sounded outraged. "Why did you have to sell me out like that?"

"I didn't sell you out!" Julie laughed. "I'm just stating facts."

Anne began eating her food, and answering Landry's never-ending questions. She told them she was from L.A., and that her mother had started a new job in a gift shop near the school. She avoided mentioning her dad, who was the actual reason they had to move in the first place. Her mother had caught him cheating on her, and immediately asked him for the divorce. Anne cried for weeks because of it, and while she didn't want to leave her school and her friends, she understood why her mother didn't want to live in L.A. anymore. There were too many memories in their house. She hated her father, and even though he called her every now and then to check up on her, Anne couldn't bring herself to say more than "I'm fine" or "I'll call you some other time." He had hurt her mother deeply, and didn't deserve anything at all.

"So are you coming to the game on Friday?" Landry asked her, interrupting her thoughts.

"I am, yes. Julie invited me. Listen, you guys don't happen to know where I could get a job in this town, do you?" Anne wanted to get a job to help out her mother with the bills. She had worked as a waitress before in L.A., and wasn't going to stop working just because she lived in Dillon now.

"Well, I could talk to the manager to see if he can give you a job at the Alamo Freeze. It's the restaurant where I work." Matt offered.

"Really? That'd be amazing, thank you!" She nodded enthusiastically. "I really appreciate it. Julie, your boyfriend has a heart of gold."

"I know, right?" Julie grinned, taking Matt's hand.

"I think it's great that you want to contribute to society by getting a job, Anne." Landry commented.

Anne snorted. "You're hilarious."

"I mean it. Most teenagers don't even bother to look for a job."

"You don't have a job." Julie pointed out.

"Selling me out again, aren't you, Taylor?" Landry pouted. "I might not have a job, but I do have a band."

Anne stopped laughing when she heard that. "You have a band? Really?"

"It's a Christian speed metal band called Crucifictorious."

"Crucifictorious? That's an interesting name."

"Came up with it myself." Landry said proudly.

Once lunch was over, Anne headed towards her locker to pick up some books. Julie was telling her about her mother, who was the principal of the school, and her baby sister Gracie. It had only been less than a day, but Anne was grateful to Julie. She had been afraid that she wouldn't be able to make friends, but she had found three nice people already, and a possible job.

The rest of her classes passed quickly, and Anne shared some of them with Julie, Matt and Landry, so she hadn't felt lonely. When the final bell rang, Julie kissed Matt goodbye, and Anne waved at both him and Landry. The boys headed towards practice, and she and Julie left the school in her car. The blonde had offered to be her ride, and they talked a bit more during the journey.

"So, do you have a boyfriend back in L.A.?" Julie suddenly asked. Anne blinked with surprise; she hadn't expected that question.

"No, no boyfriend. Actually, there haven't been any boys for me, ever." She admitted.

"What? No way!" Julie shook her head in disbelief.

"It's true. It's just... every time a cute guy talks to me or asks me out, I just say the most embarrassing things, and I ruin the moment. I can't talk to guys, period."

"You talked with Matt and Landry just fine!" Julie reminded her.

"That's different. Matt's your boyfriend, and Landry looks harmless."

"Okay. But when you do meet a guy that you find cute, let me know and I'll help you out."

Anne sighed, then gave her companion a tiny smile. "Thanks, Julie."

The rest of the road was silent, and when Julie stopped at her house, she giggled.

"What is it?" Anne asked her, confused.

"You live right next to Tim Riggins!"

"Who?"

"Tim Riggins! He's the tailback of the Dillon Panthers! He plays football with Matt and Landry!" Julie exclaimed, as if this information was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Julie, I'm new. I don't know who Tim Riggins is."

"You will know soon. There's his sign! You didn't see it?" The enthusiastic blonde pointed at the house next to Anne's. There was a sign, which she hadn't actually bothered to read until now. _Riggins, Running Back, #33, Dillon Panthers._

"Okay, now I've seen it. But who is this guy? Was he in one of our classes?"

"Yeah, he was right there with us in algebra and English. He was the tall guy with long hair!"

Anne's eyebrows frowned. "Doesn't ring a bell. Thanks for the ride, Julie." She got out of the car, waved Julie goodbye, and headed back to her house. _Tim Riggins. Why am I getting a weird feeling about a guy that I haven't even met yet?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"So honey, how was your first day?" Mrs. Bradshaw asked Anne during dinner.

"It went really well." Anne replied, chewing her food.

"Did you make any friends?"

"Yeah, a girl named Julie Taylor. Her dad is the coach of the football team, and her mom is the principal. Her boyfriend Matt Saracen is really nice too, he offered to help me get a job. Oh, and Landry Clarke, who is like, super funny. He has a band."

"That's wonderful, Annie!" Her mother exclaimed, pressing both hands to her cheeks. "And you thought you wouldn't be able to make friends!"

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm lucky to have found such nice classmates. I didn't think people in small towns would be so welcoming." She said, looking down at her now empty plate.

"I know you miss home..."

"No, I don't!" Anne shook her head. "I mean, I miss L.A. for shallow reasons, like the malls. I can talk to my friends on the phone, so please don't worry. We did the right thing by moving here, mom." It wasn't a complete lie, but not the full truth either. She did miss her home, but she didn't miss watching her mother be miserable. It was still confusing for Anne to understand why they had to end up in Dillon, Texas of all places, but she didn't bother to argue. Anything to make her mother happy.

Her mother nodded, squeezing her shoulder. Anne avoided mentioning her father at all costs; she knew her mom still felt heartbroken, furious, and humiliated. What a cliche he was; cheating on his wife with his secretary. Her father was a lawyer, and started sending them checks once the divorce was finished, but her mother refused to use them. 'Blood money', she called them.

The next day at lunch, Julie introduced Anne to some new people. Devin Boland, who was in Landry's band; and Lois Becker, who Julie shared some classes with.

"So is it true that you live next to Tim Riggins?" Lois asked her.

Anne rolled her eyes, looking at Julie. The blonde smiled at her, feigning innocence. "Seriously? Why is it such a big deal that I live next to this guy?"

"Because he's so hot! That's why!" Lois smiled in amusement. "You're so lucky."

"I haven't even met him." Anne reminded them. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

"He's sitting right over there..." Lois said, pointing at another table, completely ignoring Anne's question.

"Don't turn around, Anne. It'd be too obvious." Devin advised her.

"Wasn't planning on it." Anne took a final sip of her milk, and stood up. "I better get going. I need to get ready for Spanish. I'll see you later, girls." She grabbed her bag, and headed towards the classroom. Landry was already there, so she sat next to him.

Anne bit her lip, feeling ridiculous. _I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask him_. "Hey Landry, do you know a guy named Tim Riggins?

Landry gave her a weird look. "Yeah, he's the tailback of the football team. Why?"

"I live next door to him. Julie and the other girls keep teasing me about it, but I don't even know the dude. I just want to know what the big deal is, that's all."

The boy pursed his lips. "Well, he's pretty popular with the ladies."

"Yeah, I figured that."

"But if you want my own personal opinion on the matter... try not to fall in love with him, or anything. Because you seem like a nice person and I'd hate to see..."

"Woah, woah!" Anne interrupted him, trying to keep her voice down. "I just told you I don't know the dude. Why do you think I'm going to fall for him or something? That's absurd."

"Okay, sorry." Landry shrugged. "I'm just trying to give you a fair warning."

"And I appreciate it." Anne said, opening her textbook. _I better not ask about this guy ever again._

Mrs. Rivera's class had been a handful, but fortunately Landry's Spanish was pretty good, and he helped Anne out when she asked him. When they were walking down the hallway, they ran into Matt and Julie.

"Hey guys." Anne gushed.

"Hey Anne, listen... I talked to my boss at the Alamo Freeze, and he said you can start tomorrow in the afternoon." Matt told her.

"Awesome!" Anne clapped her hands together. "Thank you, Matt. I owe you big time."

"It's no big deal." He mumbled, flushing.

"Oh, look at you trying to be humble." His girlfriend teased him. "Come on, Anne. We have to get to biology." Julie grabbed Anne by the hand, dragging her towards the classroom. Once they got there, the blonde girl let out a tiny laugh.

"What is it?" Anne asked her, taking a seat on the back. Julie sat next to her, moving her head in a comical way. Anne snorted, not understanding what was happening. She turned around to the other chair, to see what Julie was looking at. Or rather at who she was looking at.

 _Oh my holy sweetness._

"Hey Tim!"

"Hey Jules." The boy next to Anne said. _That's Tim Riggins? That's my neighbor Tim Riggins? That's the guy I've been hearing about non-stop for the past 24 hours?_ She took in the sight of him, and felt her cheeks turn crimson.

"This is Anne Bradshaw, she's new. She's also your neighbor." Julie said in a playful tone. _And here I thought she was all sunshine and rainbows..._

Anne turned to give Julie a death glare, and then gazed back at Tim.

"Hi, yeah, hi." She said, offering him her hand. He smiled, and gave her hand a firm squeeze.

"Yeah, I saw you yesterday in class. Didn't know you were the one who moved in next door, though." He said, looking at her right in the eyes. Anne glanced down at the floor, adjusting her headband.

"Oh, I didn't see you. Guess I got too distracted talking to Julie to notice you." Anne said with a nervous laugh. "I mean, not that you aren't worthy of being noticed or anything..." She gulped, her eyes focusing on him again. _He's so beautiful. And his arms..._

Tim chuckled, and Anne could hear Julie snorting with laughter. "I'll be seeing you around the neighborhood, then."

"Great..." Anne muttered, no longer looking at him. The teacher entered the classroom, and she tried to focus on the board and take notes, occasionally staring at Tim out of the corner of her eye. _I'm being stupid. Why can't I talk like a normal person?_ When the class finished, she took her things and ran out of the room, deciding to wait for Julie in the parking lot.

"Why did you run?" Julie asked when she got there.

"I'm sorry, I just... I felt embarrassed. Lois was right about Tim, and I acted like a moron."

"You just got nervous, that's all. I don't think Tim noticed."

"Yeah, right." Anne rolled her eyes, and they got in the car. "I told you I say stupid things around cute guys. And Tim is... well, you know."

"Yes, I know." Julie said, grinning at her. "I have to warn you though. He's a good guy, but he also drinks a lot and sleeps around. There are rumors that he's now dating Lyla Garrity. She's an ex-cheerleader he had a thing with two years ago."

Anne sighed. "It's okay, Julie. He's just some cute guy, nothing more. Besides, I've only been here two days. I have to work tomorrow, so boys are the last thing on my mind right now."

"Okay." Julie nodded, clearly not believing her. Fortunately, she changed the subject, and told her about her dance recitals, how she and Matt got together, and Landry dating a popular girl named Tyra.

"So they walked in holding hands in front of the whole school. It was really cute."

"That's sweet. Landry seems like a really nice guy."

"He is." Julie nodded. "Not as nice as Matt, though."

"I bet that's true." Anne smiled. "Thanks for the ride again. I'll see you tomorrow."

Later that night, Anne picked up her diary, and checked the pages. _I haven't written any songs in a while._ She had left her guitar right under her bed, not feeling like playing anything at the moment. Music had been her escape since she twelve years old, when her father gave her a guitar for her birthday. Maybe that was why she couldn't find inspiration to write, and why she kept the instrument hidden away. It all reminded her of her dad.

Anne thought again of Tim Riggins, and how drop dead gorgeous he was. She was actually wishing she wasn't so awkward so she could ask him out, but if what Julie had said about him was true, there was no point to even consider the possibility. Besides, he'd probably laugh at her if she did ask him. He was a popular football player with plenty of girls at his disposal, a possible girlfriend and a drinking problem. Anne was the new girl, clueless about football, and with no experience in romance whatsoever.

She decided to look for her pajamas to go to bed, when she heard loud voices coming from outside the house. Looking down the window, she saw Tim, Matt, Landry, and an older guy she didn't recognize. _Screw this. I'm not that tired anyway._ After checking the other room, making sure that her mother was asleep, Anne opened the front door and headed towards Tim's house. The boys seemed to be laughing at something Landry had said, but stopped when they noticed her standing there.

"Evening, guys." She waved at them.

"Oh, hey Anne. I had no idea you were living here." Landry said, and Anne could hear the subtle sarcasm in his voice; he was probably remembering their conversation from earlier.

"Just moved in last Friday." She said, her eyes focusing on Tim. She didn't know what on earth had gotten into her, but it was hard to not want to look at him.

"Hey, neighbor." He said, as he took another sip from the beer bottle.

"Hey, Tim." She whispered. "Landry, Matt, uh..."

"I'm Billy. This chump's brother." The older guy said, grabbing Tim's shoulder.

Anne nodded. "Nice to meet you. So, what are you guys doing?"

"We're actually discussing some very important football strategies." Landry blurted. The others laughed, and Anne felt her courage disappear for some reason. _I better leave before I say something dumb._

"You want a beer?" Tim suddenly offered.

 _Oh fuck, what do I do? I've never liked beer. It tastes awful. But I don't want to come off as a brat._

"Sure, thanks." Anne's fingers slightly touched his when he handed her the bottle, and she gulped, feeling her face burn. They probably couldn't see her flushed cheeks in the dark, and she was grateful for that. The beer was just as gross as she remembered, but she hid her disgust as best as she could. All the boys were now silent, and Anne could feel their eyes on her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just heard you guys talking, so I thought I'd stop by..."

"Oh, that's okay." Tim said. "You can stop by anytime you want." He winked.

Anne spat out the beer which she had been drinking, and Tim and Billy laughed at seeing her shocked expression.

"Leave her alone, Riggs." Matt murmured, rolling his eyes.

"I'm just being friendly." Tim promised.

 _I better go back inside._ "Right. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow. Please don't scream or anything because my mom is sleeping. Thanks for the beer, Tim." Without sparing any of them a second glance, she went back to her house, and tossed the beer bottle on the trash. _What the hell was I thinking?_


	3. Chapter 3

So I've decided to let Tim be a tailback instead of a fullback, since he is a senior in this story, and Smash already graduated.

Thank you **Naguabo** for the reviews! I have an explanation as to why she prefers to go by Anne rather than Annette, and it'll be addressed at some point in the story. As for Anne and Tami interactions; I can promise you that Anne will stop by the principal's office soon enough.

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"It was so embarrassing, Julie. I don't even know what I was thinking." Anne cringed, remembering the events of the previous night. She and Julie were sitting in the library, being as quiet as possible, so they wouldn't get reprimanded by a teacher or overheard by the other students.

"So Tim Riggins flirted with you?" Julie asked, her eyes wide.

Anne made a face. "What? No! Did you even listen to what I just told you? I went over to his house, he offered me some beer, and I spat it out. I've made a fool of myself in front of guys before, but never like this."

"It probably wasn't that bad." _Yes, it was._ "So you like him, uh?"

 _Sure I do, he's so pretty that I can't stand looking at him._ "Julie, I just met him yesterday."

"And you just met me two days ago, and we're already confiding in each other. This is high school, you fall hard and fast." The blonde snapped her fingers.

Anne barked a laugh. "Jeez, thanks, Cupid."

"Hey, Julie." Anne turned to see who had spoken; it was a tall girl with short blonde hair.

"Oh, hey Tyra. This is Anne."

"Hi Tyra, nice to meet you." Anne shook the tall girl's hand, and offered her a smile. "I feel like I know you already, Landry won't stop talking about you."

"He's a chatterbox, isn't he?" Tyra chuckled, taking a seat next to Julie. "So you're the Riggins' new neighbor, uh?"

 _Oh no._ "Wait, how do you know that?"

"It's a small town, everyone knows everything."

"Right." _Damn it, in L.A. barely anyone at school knew where I lived._ "Yeah, I met Tim and Billy yesterday."

"Anne has a crush on Tim." Julie blurted out, patting her in the shoulder.

"Julie!" Anne gasped in astonishment. "Not cool! It's not true, Tyra."

Tyra studied her face, and Anne pursed her lips nervously. "I hope not." The tall girl said. "That's not a road you wanna go down."

"Tyra and Tim dated." Julie informed her.

"Oh." Anne murmured. _I guess it makes sense. She's gorgeous and popular, he's gorgeous and popular..._

"It's in the past, and we're good friends now." Tyra said dismissively. "But like I said, you don't wanna go there. I'm not sure if there's anything going on with him and Lyla right now, but now that he's a senior, the rally girls are going to surround him more than ever. It's probably their last chance to get a piece of him."

"What's a rally girl?" Anne asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her question made Tyra titter. "Wow, you really are new."

Later that day, she began working at the Alamo Freeze with Matt. Wearing that tiny white hat made her feel ridiculous at first, but she eventually decided that it was cute.

They had been working quietly, only speaking to each other when it was necessary, until Matt brought up what happened at the Riggins' house. "Hey, listen... I just wanted to apologize for last night. Riggins was being a jerk, and I didn't really do anything about it..."

Anne shook her head. "Matt, you don't have to apologize for him. It was nothing."

"Yeah, I know, it's just..."

"Don't worry about it. And thank you again, for helping me get this job."

"No problem."

They continued attending the costumers, and exchanging things about each other. Matt told her about his dad being in Iraq, taking care of his grandma, and how he became QB1 of the Dillon Panthers. It had all started when the previous quarterback, Jason Street, became paralyzed. Matt also mentioned that Jason was Tim's best friend.

"What's up, 7?" _Speak of the devil._ Tim Riggins walked right in, looking at Anne up and down. "Neighbor." Anne waved at him, avoiding his gaze.

"Hey, Riggs." Matt greeted. "You're gonna order something?"

"No, I'm just stopping by."

The boys chatted while Anne cleaned a table covered in ice cream. _I seriously hope he's not looking at me._

"So listen... party at my place, right after the game on Friday. You in?" She heard Tim ask Matt.

"Yeah, sure."

"You too, neighbor?" Tim asked Anne, and she was forced to lift up her gaze.

 _Fuck no._ "Sounds like fun. Thank you for inviting me." She mentally slapped herself. _Well, it's not like I could have avoided the party, anyway. He lives right next to me after all._

"So polite." He smiled at her. "I'll see you around." Anne stared at him until she saw him get into his truck, and then turned to Matt. The boy looked amused, as if he had just won the lottery.

"What?" She asked, blinking a few times.

"Nothing." The quarterback shook his head.

Wednesday turned into Thursday, and Thursday turned into Friday. It was the most important night in Dillon, and Anne had to keep her promise to go to the game with Julie. The perky blonde took a seat next to her mother, Principal Taylor, and Anne ended up sitting between Julie and Matt's grandmother, Lorraine.

"I've never been to a football game before. It's so crowded in here." Anne commented, her eyes wandering all around the field.

"Told you this was the town's entertainment." Julie said, holding her mother's hand. The game had started, and Anne tried her best to keep up with it. Her eyes inevitably followed the boy with the number 33, while also checking for 7 and 85. _Come on, guys._

She could feel the intensity of the game, and with the town's expectations, the screaming fans, and the disgruntled coaches, Anne wondered how hard it must be for the players to deal with the pressure of it all. During that moment, all that seemed to matter was whether or not the Panthers were going to win. She didn't need to think about her mother's pain, or her father's betrayal. Anne found herself cheering every time the team scored, and when they were declared winners, she pulled Julie into a hug.

They waited for Matt and Landry in the parking lot, and once they were there, Julie jumped to give her boyfriend a hug, wrapping her legs around his waist. _They're so cute together._

"Congratulations, guys." Anne high-fived Landry, and Matt smiled at her; Julie still in his arms. Landry was then greeted by Tyra, who spread her arms wide for him. Anne stood by herself watching the two happy couples, feeling a little envious of them.

"Hey, neighbor." A sudden deep voice said. "Came to see me?"

Tim was now wearing a grey Dillon Panthers shirt, his long hair was wet, and there was a large bruise on his right cheek. "I came to see Matt and Landry, actually. I had no idea you were on the team." Anne said, licking her lips nervously.

"Is that so?" He stepped closer to her, and Anne could smell the alcohol in his breath.

"Dude, are you drunk?" She blurted out, bug-eyed.

Tim grinned, clearly amused by her reaction. "Who, me? No."

"You played drunk?" She asked, bewildered. "You could resurrect the dead with that breath."

The tailback laughed, and Anne bit her lip, rolling her eyes. "Let me give you a ride to the party."

 _Oh, hell no. I can't be alone with you. Who knows what I'll say?_ But her body betrayed her, and she nodded. Anne caught sight of Julie, and the blonde gave her a thumbs up. She snorted, and followed Tim to his truck.

"So L.A., uh? What's a big city girl like you doing in Dillon?" Tim asked her, his eyes on the road.

"I have no idea." Anne replied, staring down at her black painted nails. "My mom chose this place. Didn't ask her why."

"What about your dad?"

She felt her blood boil at the mention of her father, and her hands turned into fists. "That lying cheating backstabbing traitor isn't around." She looked up to see Tim staring at her; he clearly wasn't expecting her to use that type of language. "Sorry. I just get pissed off when I think of him."

He shook his head. "It's okay. My dad isn't around either. Neither is my mom."

"So you and your brother are all alone, then?"

"Yeah."

Anne's expression softened at that information. "Well, if you ever feel lonely, I could stop by your place. My mom works all day, so..."

Tim's eyes widened, and he smirked at her. _Shit._ "Okay, I did not mean it like that." Anne held her arms up in surrender. "I did not mean it like that at all. Please, don't say anything." She briefly covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment.

The boy focused back on the road, but did not let go of the topic. "It's kind of hard not to, when you just propositioned yourself to me."

"Oh, come on!" Anne yelled, as Tim continued to have a smug look on his face. "I was trying to be friendly, not... dirty, or anything like that."

"Whatever you say, neighbor." _Ugh, his voice is so sexy._ She felt so silly, fawning over a guy she barely knew. She had never been able to speak properly in front of a crush, but Tim made her want to be confident. _I need to calm down._

Tim remained silent afterward, and Anne decided to text her mom to remind her that she was going to be at the house next door. She wished her mother had come to the game with her; she deserved some sort of distraction after all, but she had gone to bed immediately after dinner. Anne hoped that it was all just work weariness, and nothing else. Her mom had looked so happy a week ago; it would hurt to find out she was no longer feeling lively now that they were free from her father's shenanigans. Once they were at Tim's, she quickly thanked him for the ride and ran towards Matt and Julie. "Hey, guys."

"How was the ride?" Julie asked her, winking at her.

"You're funny." Anne stuck her tongue out at her.

"That's mature, Anne." Matt snickered.

The three of them laughed together, and Julie handed Anne a beer. _Ugh, not this nasty drink again._ She took it anyway, and the couple didn't miss the revolting look on her face as the liquid touched her lips.

"You don't have to drink if you don't want to." Julie reassured her.

"I know." Anne nodded, giving her a tiny smile. "I just didn't want to be rude."

"You're fine." The blonde said, and then stepped closer to whisper in her ear. "There's Lyla."

Anne turned around, and noticed the cheerful brunette talking to Tim. "Wow, she's... so pretty." She now remembered seeing her in a few of her classes; Lyla was usually sitting in the front, but it was hard not to notice her, as she tended to raise her hand a lot.

"Um, yeah, if that's what you're into." Matt said nervously, and Julie grimaced.

Anne could hear them talking, but no longer paid attention to what they were saying. She stared at Tim and Lyla for a minute, watching their body language. _They do look like a couple._ She exhaled deeply, and decided that it was best to forget all about them and focus back on her friends. _It's not like he would have liked me, anyway._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I still can't believe your mother dragged you all the way to Texas. What was she thinking? Selling the house that I bought for her, the hair salon that it took her years to establish... that woman is a wreck."

Her father had called her on her way home from school. Anne'd decided not to get a ride from Julie this time; choosing to walk all the way to Panthers Gifts to go check up on her mother. She'd listened to her cry in the bathroom during that morning, but insisted that she was okay once Anne confronted her about it.

 _"Mom, what's wrong?" Anne asked her mother. Janice Bradshaw's body was pale, and her expression was bleak. "I heard you crying, what happened?" She reached out to touch her, but the woman gently pushed her hands away._

 _"Nothing, dear, nothing." She gulped. Anne could see that her mother's eyes were still wet from crying, and could not understand why she was lying._

 _"Mom, is this about dad? You can tell me. I don't think you're weak because..."_

 _"No!" Her mother's sudden change in tone startled her. "This isn't about your father. I'm fine. Now come on, or you're going to be late for school."_

"Yeah, well, whose fault is that?" She spat, wincing at the memory. "Listen, I don't wanna talk anymore. We don't need your money and we sure as hell don't need you. I'm hanging up."

"Wait, Annie, wait..." Anne could hear his voice breaking. "Are you sure you don't want to come home to live with me? I know how much you love L.A."

 _The nerve of this man_. "Dad, I hate you. You cheated on mom and ruined our family. I don't want to live with you. And I'm fine here; I've made nice friends, and I've got a job. Bye." She put away the phone and continued to walk.

In all truth, her father had a point. She understood that her mother was in pain, but why did they have to give everything up? They went from owning a big house in L.A. to renting a small one in Dillon. Her mother had gone from being her own boss at a prestigious hair salon to being just another employee at a gift shop.

 _She's hiding something from me, and I've been too afraid to ask what. I think that's because I know I won't like the answer_. "Hey, mom." Anne greeted, looking around the store. _This town takes football very seriously_. There were all types of things themed with the Dillon Panthers. From coffee mugs to t-shirts; even snow globes and stuffed panthers. Anne smiled, thinking of some little kid going to sleep at night holding one.

"Hey, Annie. Can I interest you in a Panthers t-shirt? It's on me." Her mother said cheerfully, sounding nothing like the woman from this morning.

"No, thanks. But those stuffed panthers are so cute!" She said, taking one. "How are you?"

"I'm good." _No, you're not. Stop lying_. "How was school?"

"Oh, it was good." _Don't change the subject, mom_. "Listen... dad called me. He asked me if I wanted to go back to live with him."

Her mother looked at her as if she were ready to kill somebody with an ax. "Honey, I don't want you talking to that man."

"Yeah, I don't want to talk to him either, but it's hard to ignore him when he's constantly buzzing my phone."

"You told him no, right?" Her mother wasn't even looking at her now, and Anne's gaze softened. _Does she really think I would leave her?_

"Of course I told him no! I'm fine here."

"Have you talked to any of your friends from L.A.?"

 _No. They have been ignoring me since I told them I was going to move_. "I haven't talked to Max or Kaylee since we moved. They haven't returned any of my texts."

"Maybe they're busy." Her mother said, wiping a coffee mug. "Kids lose their minds during their senior year."

Anne scoffed. "I haven't lost mine." _Not yet, anyway_. "I better go. I have to get to work. Bye, mom." She gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and rushed out of the place.

She entered the Alamo Freeze in a hurry, and changed to her work uniform in the bathroom. "My mom was acting weird when I want to see her earlier." She told Matt as she prepared a burger.

"Weird how?"

"I don't know, she just... every time I mention my father she gets that scowling look on her face, and that's not unusual, considering that he cheated on her and everything..." This was the first time Anne actually mentioned her dad to someone in Dillon; she hadn't even told Julie about him, but she didn't care anymore. _It's not my fault that he did what he did_. "I just feel like there's something that she's not telling me."

"Maybe she just needs some more time to get over him?" Matt wondered, taking the burger Anne'd made and handing it to a customer.

"Yeah, maybe." Anne said slowly. "I hope she does."

People came in and out of the Alamo Freeze, and the hours passed quickly. Matt was serene to work with, and Anne was excited about spending time with him. _I've never had a guy friend before_. That realization made her think of Landry as well.

"Hey, is Landry's band any good?" She asked Matt once they were cleaning up the place, getting ready to finally leave.

Matt laughed. "Yeah, I mean... if you think incoherent screaming is good. Why?"

"No reason." She wasn't ready to talk about her musical talents yet. If Julie found out, she'd probably encourage her to serenade the football team at lunch, and Anne wasn't in the mood for any of that.

Matt gave Anne a ride home, and while she was making her way towards the front door, she spotted Lyla Garrity leaving Tim's house. Anne started to look desperately for her keys, hoping that the girl wouldn't notice her.

"Hey, do I know you?"

 _Ugh. Too late_. Anne turned to Lyla, and forced herself to give her a smile. "Hi, yeah. We have some classes together."

"Oh, yes, I remember now. I'm Lyla Garrity."

"Yes, I know." Not wanting to come off as impolite, she dropped her bag on the floor, and offered Lyla an extended hand. "Anne Bradshaw."

"The new girl, right?" Lyla shook her hand delicately, and Anne could not deny that she was charming. "Tim mentioned you."

 _Oh no. He probably told her how I spat beer_. "He did?"

"Yeah, you were at the party on Friday, were you?"

 _Yeah, your boyfriend gave me a ride_. "I was."

Lyla nodded, staring right at Anne as if she were looking for something. She was unbelievably fair, and Anne found no hints of malice in her eyes. "It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Anne watched as her latest acquaintance walked towards her car, and then picked up her bag from the floor; finally finding her keys. Once she was inside the house, her heart jumped at the sight of her mother sitting on the couch.

"Mom? What are you doing here? You always get home long after I do."

"I had to leave early, I wasn't feeling well." Her eyes were watery, which meant she had been crying. Again.

Anne dropped her things on a chair and stood in front of her mother. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Her mother closed her eyes, covering her face with her arms. Janice Bradshaw looked so small during that moment, and Anne felt bad for pushing her, but she deserved some answers.

"Mom, please. Something is clearly wrong. I need you to tell me."

"It's nothing for you to worry about..."

Anne wanted to rip her own hair out. "Tell me, please." She pleaded.

Janice finally uncovered herself and opened her eyes. _This is it_. "I'm pregnant." She said in a soft whisper.

 _This is not what I was expecting. This is not what I was expecting at all_. "What? How? When? Who is the father?" Anne screamed, no longer caring about being soft.

"That's why I didn't want to tell you." Her mother said, her eyes filled with tears. "Right before the divorce was finished, I went over to the hotel where your father was staying. I went there to yell at him, to tell him how much I hated him, to let him know how horrible he made me feel. After I was done insulting him, he just looked at me, and I could tell he was sorry. But I couldn't bring myself to forgive him, and I didn't want to. We just stood there, not saying anything for a while, and then... then it happened."

Anne let out a long sigh, crossing her arms. She could not believe what she was hearing. "How far long are you?"

"Six weeks." Janice muttered.

"Six weeks?" Anne snapped. "That's why you were so hell-bent on selling everything and storming off from L.A. so quickly? To get the baby away from dad?" She had never in her life raised her voice at her mother, or at anyone for that matter, but this was all too much.

"I wanted to start over!" Janice snarled, standing up from the couch. "Your father doesn't deserve to know this baby! That's why I chose this town. His uptight ass would never set foot here. Let him stay on his damn law firm, because that's all he ever cared about. You know his mother didn't even want him to marry me, right? Said I was 'too ordinary' and no match for her intellectual Marcus. Well, at least I don't make a living defending criminals!"

Anne winced at the disgust in her mother's voice. She'd clearly been bottling up a lot of feelings over the years. "Why did you marry him, then?"

"I just didn't want to be alone."

Anne squeezed her eyes shut. _I can't believe this is happening_. "Mom, I'm tired. I don't want to fight anymore." She said, picking up her bag. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight." She ran towards her room; not even bothering to wait for a reply.

Anne had always thought of her mother as a loving and caring woman. But the way she had yelled at her... it made her feel uneasy, and that's the last thing she wanted. She emptied her bag and tried to distract herself by doing some homework, but it didn't work.

Her mom was pregnant and her dad didn't know a thing about it. _Should I call him? Should I not call him? Should I try to convince mom to cash in his checks?_ A knock on her window disrupted her thoughts, and she nearly passed out when she saw who it was.

 _What the hell?_ "Tim? What are you doing here?" She whispered, opening the window. The Panther's tailback entered her room, and Anne wondered if it was wise to let him in.

"I heard yelling." He said, inspecting the room.

"And you thought of coming here because...?"

"You sounded pretty upset." He replied, sitting on the bed. "Is this yours?" Tim was now holding her stuffed blue panther, and Anne blushed in embarrassment. _Damn it! Why did I leave that there?_

"Yeah, it's mine." She said, taking it from his hands. "Seriously, why are you here?"

"Like I said, I heard you and another woman yelling. Your mom?"

Anne met his worried gaze and nodded. She did not want to talk about it, especially not with him. "Wouldn't your girlfriend be bothered that you're sneaking into another girl's bedroom?"

"My girlfriend?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't play dumb. I saw Lyla leaving your house earlier."

"Lyla isn't my girlfriend." Tim stated. "She was just helping me out with some school stuff."

Anne wasn't sure if she believed him. She'd had enough of lies for one day, and this boy was just making her even more anxious.

"Okay, if you say so. Listen, I appreciate you checking up on me, but I need to get some sleep."

Tim studied her for a few seconds, and Anne wanted nothing more than to run her hands through his hair. _Why does he have to be so damn attractive?_

"See you tomorrow, neighbor." He stood up and climbed out of the window. Anne closed it and tugged herself into bed, hugging her stuffed panther. _This has been the weirdest day of my life_. _Should I tell Julie that Tim Riggins was in my bed?_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"I can tell by your sour expression that something's bothering you." Landry said during Spanish class.

"It's just some stuff with my mom..." Anne mumbled, tilting her head back to look at him. "I don't want to talk about it."

"That's okay." He said gently. "You don't have to tell me. Just know that I'm here if you need to get something off your chest, amiga."

Anne snorted a laugh. "Thanks, Landry."

"Now let's focus on this assignment, or else Mrs. Rivera will have our cabezas on a plate..."

Anne hadn't been able to stop thinking about her mom being pregnant. She hoped her dad wouldn't call her anytime soon, or else she'd probably end up spilling him the news. _Would he really come to Dillon if he knew the truth?_

Fortunately for her, Landry had been able to make her laugh and distract her a bit from her problems during class. On her free period, she headed to the library to wait for Matt, so they could study together for a history test.

Anne spotted Tim speaking to Principal Taylor while she was going through one of her books. From the looks of it, Mrs. Taylor was reprimanding Tim about something, but the boy seemed completely unbothered.

Anne's attention was now fixated on the football player, history book forgotten. She found herself counting each time he ran his hands through his long, luscious locks. _Four. Four times now_. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when Tim caught sight of her and walked towards the table where she was sitting.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Anne started to turn red under his hazel eyes. It seemed impossible for her not to be nervous whenever he was around.

"Listen, can you pretend that you're helping me with my homework?" He whispered, sitting right next to her.

"Huh? What? Why?" She gibbered, flinching at his proximity.

He sighed. "Principal Taylor is over there. I sort of told her you were tutoring me."

"Why in hell did you do that? And didn't you tell me yesterday that Lyla was helping you out?"

"Yeah, well..." He trailed off. "She wasn't actually helping me out with my homework. She came over to talk to me about college."

Anne resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Look, I'll play your little game right now, but if you want help for real, you should ask Julie or Landry. They're far better students than I am."

Tim shook his head. "I don't want help for real. I just want to have Mrs. Taylor off my back for a second."

"Fine." She gritted her teeth. _This guy is unbelievable. But what else can I do?_

"So, how are you?" He suddenly asked.

 _Awful_. "I'm okay. Thank you for stopping last night. I'm sorry if I was rude, you just caught me at a bad time." She said softly.

He nodded, pressing his lips together. "Are you coming to the game on Friday?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it. I'm friend's with the Coach's daughter and two of the guys on the team, you know?" She teased, resting her chin on her hand.

Tim raised his eyebrows, playing along. "Just two?"

"Yup." She bit back a smile. "Saracen and Clarke."

Tim leaped out of his chair. "Mrs. Taylor is gone. Thanks for your help, neighbor."

 _He needs to stop calling me that_. "Anne. My name's Anne."

"Really? Because I heard one of the teachers call you Annette."

"It's just..." She cleared her throat. "Annette sounds too formal, don't you think? Makes me feel like I'm an old lady or something."

"It sounds classy. I think it suits you."

Anne blinked a few times, feeling a blush rise from her neck to her cheeks. "Okay, you can call me Annette if you want. Do you want me to call you Timothy?"

He chuckled. "Oh, please don't."

The time around them seemed to slow down as Anne got lost in the pools of his eyes. She was aware of how red she was, but didn't want to break the moment. She snapped back to reality when Matt appeared behind Tim.

"Hey, Matt." She said, adjusting her headband.

Tim turned around to greet him. "What's up, 7?"

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Just here having a conversation with my friendly neighbor Annette." Tim said, giving her one last look before he headed towards the library's exit. "See you later." Anne watched him go, mesmerized.

"Don't break your neck." Matt grinned, sitting down in front of her.

"Shut up." Anne scoffed, throwing a pencil at him. He caught it and tucked it behind his ear.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to go talk to Coach."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, sure." He shrugged. "Are you ready to study?"

Matt didn't sound okay at all, but Anne chose not to push him. _So I guess I'm not the only one who doesn't walk to talk about things..._

Their study session lasted an hour, and they ended up exchanging notes and quizzing each other. Her day was going surprisingly well, until she got called to the principal's office. _I hope this isn't about Tim_.

"So Anne, how are you liking Dillon so far?" Mrs. Taylor asked. She was the opposite of intimidating, unlike her previous principal.

"It's nice. It's not what I'm used to, but everyone's been so welcoming." She replied, poking her thumbs together in her lap.

Mrs. Taylor smiled. "I'm happy to hear that. Julie's been telling me so many great things about you. Tim Riggins as well."

"Oh." _She thinks I'm tutoring him_. "Well, Julie's a very good friend. And Tim is my neighbor... so I've been helping him a bit with his homework." _This is ridiculous. Why am I lying_ for _him?_

"That's what he told me. He's a good kid and football player, but his grades have always been a problem. I just wanna make sure he makes an effort to graduate."

Anne nodded and leaned back in the chair. _I'm so stupid for lying. But if I told her the truth, then Tim'd be in trouble. Ugh, why do I care? This is all his fault anyway._

"Have you thought about participating in any of the school activities?" Mrs. Taylor asked, breaking the silence. "There's cheerleading, the volleyball team..."

"I'm not a very athletic person, Mrs. Taylor." Anne said, looking down.

"Is there anything that you're particularly interested in?"

"I like music." Anne blurted out.

"Really?" Mrs. Taylor's eyes widened. "You know, we've been trying to get a music program, but unfortunately we don't have the funds for it." She explained. "What type of music do you like?"

"Um, well, I like Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Carrie Underwood, The Dixie Chicks..."

"Oh, I love The Dixie Chicks!" Mrs. Taylor exclaimed. "My sister invited me to one of their concerts last year, but I couldn't go."

Joy lifted Anne's lips, enjoying the company of the hearty principal. "I like to write my own music and sing." She admitted. "And I love playing the guitar. I just haven't done it in a while."

"Well, I think that if it's something that makes you happy, then you should get back into it whenever you're ready. Now, I have one more question to ask you. I've been looking at your grades, and they're pretty good. Have you thought about applying to any colleges?"

 _Colleges?_ "Well, not really. My father always wanted me to be a lawyer like him, and my mother insists that I'd make a perfect kindergarten teacher. But I don't know what I want to do. I just got here. I don't want to think about leaving already. Does that make any sense?"

"A lot, actually." Mrs. Taylor replied. "Just know that if you want to discuss it, you can come to me at any time."

"Thanks, Mrs. Taylor."

Anne'd never felt so comfortable around a teacher before. But now felt awful for lying to the principal about Tim. She actually cared about her students, and she was Julie's mom! After leaving her office, she went to find the tailback. He was standing by his locker, talking to some cheerleaders and what Tyra had described as 'rally girls'.

"Hey, Tim!"

"What's up, Annette?" He said, not looking at her.

"Is this your girlfriend, Tim? What happened to Lyla?" One of the rally girls asked, and Anne hissed.

"I just talked to Principal Taylor." Anne said firmly, trying to sound tough. Tim met her glare. "She's actually convinced that I'm helping you out with your studies. Don't you ever make me lie to someone for you again." She walked away quickly, ignoring the cheerleaders' and rally girls' accusatory looks.

Luckily Julie was close by, carrying a bunch of things in her hands.

"Hey Anne, are you okay?" Julie asked when she saw her.

"Not really." Her voice was scratchy, and Julie gave her an understanding nod.

"Put this on and meet me in the quad." Julie said, handing her a shirt. "We gotta help Tyra with her campaign. She's running for Student Body president."

"Sounds good." Anne said, hoping this would be the perfect chance to pull herself out of her troubled thoughts. She didn't know Tyra very well, but she was Landry's girlfriend and had been nice to her when they met.

She changed in the bathroom, and immediately felt a little self-conscious as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The shirt was so tiny that her belly button was exposed and the top of her cleavage could be seen. _It's like I'm almost naked_. A voice surprised her while she was washing her hands.

"Hey, Anne." It was Lyla.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" She babbled, running her wet hands through her hair. "Sorry, dumb question. It's the girl's bathroom."

Lyla giggled. "Nice shirt."

"Oh, thanks." Anne whispered. "It's not really my style, but it's to help out Tyra."

"You look great." Lyla said with a genuine smile. Anne was starting to wonder if the girl had some sort of superpower that allowed her to absorb all the finesse in the world.

"I'll see you around." Anne offered her a small wave, to which Lyla gave her one in return. She rushed towards the quad, feeling eyes on her the entire time. _Maybe wearing this shirt wasn't such a good idea_.

"Gracie Bell kept us up all night asking for pudding." Julie told her as they handed campaign flyers together. "It would have been funny if we hadn't been so desperate to sleep."

Anne gulped at the mention of Julie's baby sister, knowing that in a couple of months, she'd have to deal with a little sibling as well. _Damn it, mom_. It was so silly, why did her mother have to sleep again with her cheating father? And why was she being forced to keep the pregnancy a secret? She wanted to vent to Julie about it, but eventually decided against it. _I don't want to bother her with my problems_.

After handing all the flyers and running into Tyra, a sudden idea crept into Anne's mind. Mrs. Taylor had encouraged her to participate in a school activity, so she might as well get involved in this one.

"Hey Tyra, do you need a vice president?" She asked nervously.

Tyra was taken aback by the question. "You want to be my VP?"

"I just want to get involved in a school activity. Principal Taylor's advice. I promise I'll do a great job."

Tyra looked thoughtful for a moment, exchanging a glance with Julie, who gave her two thumbs up. "Okay then. I accept."

"Great!" Anne exclaimed, squeezing her fists together. "Ugh." She still felt like she was being watched. "What are they all looking at?"

"Probably your rack." Tyra said bluntly.

"What?!" Anne gasped. She wasn't used to being ogled by boys. "I knew it!"

Julie snorted, clearly happy that her shirt wasn't as revealing as Anne's.

"Don't get upset, girl. You look foxy." Tyra winked.

Instantly, heat flooded to Anne's face. She wasn't used to compliments either. Her mood turned bitter when Tim walked past them.

"Hey, Tim!" Tyra shouted. "Vote for me!"

"Will do, Tyra." He said, turning around. Anne avoided his gaze at all costs, and tried to remain composed until she was sure he was gone.

"He was checking you out, Anne." Julie confirmed.

"He wasn't exactly subtle about it. I guess some things never change." Tyra added.

Anne remained silent, not knowing what to say. She felt like a moron for letting Tim get to her. _It doesn't matter. I barely know him. He's just some boy, and I'll get over it_.


	6. Chapter 6

For this chapter, I had to copy a few lines from the show because I felt it was necessary. I hate doing that, but it won't happen often, I promise.

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

"So I called some of my sister's friends from The Landing Strip to help us out today before the town hall meeting." Tyra told Anne during lunch that Friday. They had spent the last three days promoting their campaign; printing more flyers with both of their faces on them, and spreading them around the entire school. But they knew they had to do something big in order to win people over.

"The what?"

Tyra rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. "I keep forgetting you're new in town. My sister Mindy works at a strip club."

Anne sent her a questioning gaze as she drank her milk. "You're bringing strippers to the school? Won't that get us in trouble?"

Tyra shrugged her shoulders. "I think it's only fair. Ginnie Warwick's mom was allowed to help her hand out cupcakes. I don't think there's anything wrong with having some nice ladies help me."

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea; I just don't want to get in trouble with Mrs. Taylor. I lied to her the other day about tutoring Tim." Anne told her, cringing. She had spent an awful amount of time feeling like a fool because of her lie.

Tyra didn't seem surprised by this revelation. "Yeah, I heard some rally girls say you were with Tim in the library. Oh, and I think half the school saw you yelling at him in the hallway."

"I didn't yell at him!" Anne said defensively. "He came to me while I was studying, looking at me with those wide puppy-dog eyes, asking me to lie for him. And I did it, like an idiot."

"Don't beat yourself up. I know firsthand how charming Tim can be." It was sweet how Tyra was trying to soothe her frustration, but it wasn't working.

"Are people seriously talking about me?" Anne asked, spooning mashed potatoes into her mouth. She had gotten some strange looks when she went to the bathroom earlier, but figured they were because of her naughty campaign shirt rather than Tim. _Of course they were about Tim. He's a football player; that's what this place is all about._

"Oh, yeah." Tyra replied, toying with one of her curls. "So... my stripper friends, what do you think?"

 _We're going to get in trouble, I'm sure of it. But she already called them, so..._ "If that's what you want." She wiped at the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "I'm in."

"Great!" Tyra squealed with delight. "They'll be here after lunch. It'll be awesome."

Anne's smile was a grimaced baring of teeth. "I'm sure." _I need to learn how to say no._ Her fake enthusiasm turned into bitterness when she noticed Tim and Lyla sitting together across the cafeteria. "I knew he was lying."

"Huh?" Tyra mumbled, her mouth full. She gulped and turned to see what Anne was looking at. "Oh, those two. Nobody seems to know exactly what's going on with them."

"He told me they weren't dating." Anne huffed. "Ugh, I wish he could go away. But when he's not living next to my house, he's at the school."

"Oh, forget about Tim. You're a nice, pretty girl who is going to become vice president of her school." Tyra said confidently, taking the last bite out of her sandwich. "Let's go."

Anne and Tyra set up a table in the quad where they handed signed flyers and lollipops to the students that approached them. Most of them were boys who were interested in watching Tyra's stripper friends move around the place in revealing clothes. Anne knew it was only a matter of time before a teacher stopped by to reprimand them.

"We're out of flyers." Tyra said over the music, licking a lollipop.

"I have a few more in my locker. I'll go get them." Anne stood up, glad to have an opportunity to get out of there. "Excuse me, coming through." She tried to make her way out of the crowd, her ears picking up the nearest conversation.

"The new girl is hot!"

"Not as hot as Tyra, though."

"I'm totally voting for them."

"I heard she's dating Riggins. Crystal told me she lives next to his house."

"I thought he was still going out with Lyla Garrity?"

"Dude, it's Riggins! He's probably banging them at the same time."

 _Oh, this is fantastic. Bring on the rumors._

After what seemed like minutes of struggle, she finally made her way out of the mob of gossipy students and to her locker. The hallway was nearly empty, which was unusual. Then again, almost everyone was at the quad enjoying the strippers.

Anne counted the flyers that she had, ignoring the buzz that was coming from her pocket. She had been ignoring her father's phone calls and texts like the plague. Her mother had been faintly distant towards her since the pregnancy reveal, and Anne didn't want to add more fuel to the fire. _I don't think I can ignore him forever..._

"Hey, Annette."

It was Tim. _Of course._ She considered staying silent and walking away from him.

"Listen, I've done some thinking and I just wanted to apologize for making you lie. I was a jerk, and I'm sorry." He looked like a lost puppy trying to find its way home. _I'm so corny._

Anne leaned her head back, feeling her long braids slide away from her chest. "It took you three days to realize you were wrong?"

Tim seemed taken aback by her harsh response. "What? No, I just..."

 _Okay, that wasn't entirely fair. I've been avoiding making eye contact with him since I confronted him on Tuesday after all._ "Forget about it, it's fine. Don't stress about it."

Tim clearly didn't believe her. "Are you sure?"

"I can see that you're sorry, so we're okay." Anne said swiftly, hugging the flyers. "Tyra is waiting for me. Bye!" She power walked out of Tim's presence before he had a chance to say anything else. He had been so open during that brief moment; his eyes held no deceit, no traps of any kind. _Ugh..._

When she returned to the quad, it was almost empty. There was no sign of Tyra or the strippers. The time for the meeting was approaching, so she rushed towards the gym to check if Tyra was already there.

She found her sitting on the stage between the other candidates. The room was filled with students and teachers; Mrs. Taylor amongst them.

"What happened?" Anne whispered to Tyra.

"Mr. Trucks happened." Tyra replied. "He threatened to call the cops on my friends. I was lucky that Mrs. T saved me from getting detention."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Anne told her, awkwardly standing next to her chair. "Do you know what you're gonna say?"

"You can bet I do." Her responding grin was wry, as if she knew something nobody else did.

Anne tried to pay attention to what the other candidates were saying, but got distracted when she saw who was in the audience. Julie, Landry, Matt... and Tim. _He's like a fever I can't shake. What is he doing here?_

"This is a question for Tyra." Anne snapped back to reality at the mention of her friend. The confident blonde approached the microphone. "Can you explain, for those of us who are concerned about your lack of experience, not to mention your vice president's unfamiliarity with the school, how you can turn this into a positive when acting as a liaison between the students and the faculty?"

 _Ouch. I wasn't expecting that._

Tyra seemed completely unbothered by what their fellow classmate had just said. "Wow, that was a long question. I don't think I remember half of it." Most of the students laughed at her jest. "No, seriously, y'all. I mean, what this entire election really boils down to is who you want planning your prom. And one thing I can tell you, is that nobody here is getting laid if you let Ginnie here have our prom in the gym. Okay?" The audience cheered and whistled. Ginnie looked dumbfounded, and Anne felt sorry for her. Mrs. Taylor sent Tyra a disapproving glare. _I better say something to soften the situation._

Anne took the microphone out of Tyra's hand. She chewed on her lip, turning to face the crowd. "I don't think it's fair for anybody here to doubt Tyra's ability to lead. I mean, if she's standing here today, that means she has enough confidence to take charge of things. And if there's anything that guarantees a good president, it's confidence. I know I'm new at this school, but I'm ready to do anything to make sure we have a wonderful year." She exchanged a glance with Tyra, who was smiling widely. "And a killer prom!" She added, giving her back the microphone.

"That's right!" Tyra exclaimed. "Remember that a vote for me, also means a vote for the new hottie in town!"

Anne unintentionally sucked in a sharp breathe of surprise at those words; her eyes flickering immediately over to Mrs. Taylor. Fortunately, she didn't look as exasperated as before. Julie and the boys were applauding and hollering with the rest of the students. Anne felt her heart beat a little faster against her ribcage. _Who knew I'd end up making so many friends in so little time? It's probably the small town spirit._

 _Except Tim and I aren't exactly friends. Not yet..._

She'd only spent two weeks in Dillon, and already felt more at home than she ever did back in Los Angeles. Back at her old school, she'd only had two real friends, or at least she thought they were. When Max and Kaylee found out that she was moving to a small town in Texas, they shut her out completely, as if she never mattered to them.

The campaign results were going to be announced on Monday, so all that was left to do was get ready for game night.

 _Game night._

Anne never would have thought she'd be concerned about high school football, but how could she not? It was the thing the whole town talked about, what made Dillon special, and what brought everyone together.

Now if only her mother would just agree to come to the game.

"Do the people at the shop know that one of their colleagues refuses to go to see the Panthers?" Anne asked her mother while she was getting ready. Just like last week, Julie and Mrs. Taylor were coming to pick her up. The night was windy, so she put on a pink sweater and pulled her hair into a ponytail. "Don't you want to meet my principal and my friend?"

"I just don't feel like going outside." Janice said dismissively, disappearing into her bedroom. "Have fun, Annie."

 _What do you mean you don't feel like going outside? Why are you ignoring me? I'm your daughter! It's not my fault you're pregnant!_ She wanted to yell all those things and more, but couldn't bring herself to do it. "Okay." Anne said in a tiny whisper, holding back tears. _I don't need her there, anyway._ She knew the Taylor women were outside when she heard the beep of their car horn.

"Everything okay?" Julie asked Anne once she was in the backseat.

"I'm okay, thank you." She mused. _I'm becoming a professional liar. Perfect._ "Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Taylor."

"You're welcome, honey."

Anne didn't want to make the ride to the game awkward, so she decided to address the elephant in the room. "Mrs. Taylor, I know right now it's probably not the best time, but I'm sorry if things got a little out of control today. I just needed you to know it's not all Tyra's fault. I agreed to everything." _Well, except maybe the part where she called me a hottie and promised the students they were going to get laid at the prom..._

"Don't worry about that, dear." The principal said softly, her eyes on the road. "Let's just get ready for the game."

 _Well, she doesn't sound mad at all..._

It was still unbelievable how many people gathered together during Friday night. Almost the whole town was there. _I know a certain someone who isn't._ Anyone who didn't know anything about Dillon would think a concert was taking place. Matt's grandma joined them in the stands, looking more excited than Anne, Julie, and Mrs. Taylor combined. Anne'd never met such a sweet old lady.

Watching the game felt like a thrilling experience. Anne had to give major props to Coach Taylor and the team. How did they manage not to pass out from all that stress? Everyone was depending on them. Whenever the Panthers scored, the whole stadium screamed as if they were being set on fire. It was like a contagious disease, because Anne couldn't help but scream as well.

There had been nothing to worry about, though. The Panthers had won 49-6.

"We're going to go celebrate at Applebee's!" Julie said excitedly. "Tyra is giving us a ride. I'll text Matt and Landry to meet us there."

"Sounds great."

Anne felt like a fifth wheel once they made it to Applebee's. On one side of the table sat Tyra and Landry, who were conversing about Tyra's speech at the town hall meeting. Next to Matt was Julie, who wouldn't stop giggling at him. Anne sat next to the quarterback, eyes stuck on the fries and burger she had ordered. She ate silently while the two couples stayed in their happy bubbles.

"How's the food?" A voice whispered in her ear.

"Jesus Christ, Tim!" Her shout was so loud that it made the people around her flinch. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"I'm sorry." He said with a laugh.

"Scaring girls now, Riggins?" Landry teased.

"Not exactly what I'm trying to do here, Lando." Tim replied. "Hey Annette, do you want to go somewhere?"

Everyone at the table was now staring at her as if she were a circus attraction. Anne was positive her face looked like a bright red cherry.

"Um, I'm kind of in a middle of a celebration here..."

"Oh, that's okay! You can go!" Julie blurted out. "Right, Matt?" She pinched her boyfriend's shoulder.

"Yeah, no problem." He responded nervously, rubbing the shoulder Julie had just pinched.

Landry and Tyra gave her silent nods. Anne chewed her lip, knowing well that there was no way of escaping this. "Okay." She jumped out of her seat and turned to Tim. "Let's go." _I hope I don't regret this._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"So, where are we going exactly?" Anne asked Tim as he drove. She kept on playing with the sleeves of her sweater, not knowing what to expect. _Why did I even agree to this?_

"Anywhere you want." Tim replied.

"Um, I don't know." She mumbled. "I don't really know this town very well yet. Maybe somewhere quiet?"

He nodded. "I know the perfect place."

"Fine, I'm trusting you."

Anne's phone buzzed, and she found she had received a text from Julie. It read:

 ** _Good luck on your date! ;) Please tell me all about it later._**

She rolled her eyes, responding immediately:

 ** _It's not a date! Go to sleep._**

Anne caught Tim looking at her and her cheeks reddened. "So how did you get into football?" She asked him.

"I just like hitting people." He said, focusing back on the road.

"Why not join a boxing gym instead?"

Tim grinned at her question, and Anne drew her lower lip between her teeth. _Why is he so pretty? It's not fair._ They remained in silence until Tim parked outside a place called Smitty's.

"A bar?" Anne scoffed. "Seriously? We're minors!"

"Relax." Tim laughed, getting out of the truck. "They know me. Come on."

Anne gaped at him as if he were an alien, feeling like she was melting. _Why does he want my company so badly? I don't get it._ "Okay." She managed to whisper, following him towards the bar's door. Tim opened it for her and asked her to pick a table. She picked the cleanest she could find, and waited for him uncomfortably in her chair. When he finally joined her, he was carrying a gigantic glass of beer.

Anne wrinkled her nose in distaste at the sight of the alcohol in his hand. "You're gonna drink all that?"

"You want some?" He asked, taking a sip.

"Hell, no!" She cried out. "That stuff tastes like piss to me. I don't know how you can drink it."

"I don't know how you can't."

Anne rolled her eyes. "How did they even serve you that?"

He handed her his fake ID, and she snorted after reading it. "Toby Morgan? Two-time Iraq veteran? They obviously know this is bullshit."

"They know, but they don't care." Tim put the ID away and continued to drink. Anne watched him silently for a few moments, resting her chin on her hand. He had a small cut on his lower lip, and it took everything in her not to reach out her hand to touch it gently.

"How come this place is so empty?" She wondered.

"Most people are celebrating elsewhere." He explained. "I come here to get away from the noise."

"Okay, I have to ask you something." She looked at her lap for a few seconds before meeting his eyes again. "Why did ask me to come with you? You could be out there partying like a rockstar right now."

The corners of his mouth turned up. "Nah, I think I'm good here."

 _That doesn't answer my question._ "If you say so." _I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. He's so enchanting and composed, and I'm... me. Maybe I should ask Tyra for advice, since she dated him. No, that would be weird. Maybe Matt and Landry, since they play football with him and are guys..._

"I saw you with Tyra today at the gym." Tim said, drawing Anne out of her musings. His glass was now empty. "You were great. Very charming."

"Um, uh, yeah." Anne stuttered. "You're so funny, Tim."

"I'm serious. You handled yourself pretty well."

 _Yeah, right._ "Thanks. Mrs. Taylor didn't look pleased, though. The strippers didn't help our cause either."

"Oh, trust me." He ran a hand through his hair, smiling beamingly. "They did help."

Anne giggled. "I'm sure. So... Tyra told me Mindy and Billy are dating?"

"Yeah, they've been banging all summer."

"Wow, that's a nice mental image, Tim." She said, making a face. "I'm going to have nightmares now."

"Sorry."

 _Yeah, sure_. "Isn't it kind of weird that you used to date Tyra, and now her sister is with your brother?"

"No, not really. Tyra and I haven't been a thing in a while."

"Just like you and Lyla haven't been a thing in a while?"

His cheerful expression disappeared, and Anne wished she hadn't said anything. _Me and my big mouth._ "I'm sorry, it's none of my business. I just can't help but wonder why you two aren't together anymore. Guys like you and girls like her always mix together."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You know..." Anne smiled awkwardly and shrugged. "Athletic football players and hot girls who have the world at their feet."

Tim's eyes widened. "You think Lyla is hot?"

"I think she's very pretty, yes."

"Prettier than me?"

"I don't know, maybe?" She teased. "You do have better hair, though."

Tim looked at her with ease and steadiness, his eyes glinting. Anne felt her whole face flush, and she gulped. "What? What did I say?"

"Nothing. This might be the weirdest conversation I've ever had with a girl."

"Thanks?"

"It's a compliment." Tim reassured her.

Anne nodded and looked at her phone to check the time. "It's getting late..."

"You have to get home?"

"Well, not really." She shrugged. "My mom is probably asleep by now, and she hasn't returned any of my texts." Sadness clouded her features. "We haven't talked much lately since she told me she was pregnant."

Tim's brows knitted, and Anne raised her hands. "Yeah, she is. My dad is the father, but she won't let me tell him anything about it. I've been ignoring his calls since I found out. It's driving me crazy." It felt surprisingly good to finally tell someone about her troubles at home, except that they were now tears filling her eyes. "You're the first person to know about this. Please don't tell anyone."

Tim leaned across the table to take Anne's hand in his. "I won't, I promise."

"I don't even know why I'm dumping all of this on you." Anne said between sobs. She felt beyond embarrassed for crying in front of him and ruining their moment, but the damage was already done. "It's just so silly, you know? I'm going to have a little brother or sister. I should be happy."

"It's okay." Tim said, rubbing the back of Anne's hand with a gentle thumb.

"Why do you talk to me, Tim?" She whispered.

"We're neighbors." He said simply. "We share the same friends, and you're nice."

The corners of Anne's mouth quirked up. "You're nice too."

"You might be the first person who's ever said that to me."

Anne felt warmth creeping into her chest when Tim smiled at her. The things she had heard people at school say about him couldn't be true. He was genuinely nice and compassionate, and she was sure they were friends now.

As much as it pained her to lose the contact, she let go of his hand. "Can you take me home, please?"

"Sure."

When they left the bar, Anne could feel people staring at her and Tim, but paid no attention to them. After she got back into the truck with him, she decided to text Julie to let her know that her non-date went well, and it took less than five minutes for her perky blonde friend to reply:

 ** _So when's the wedding?_**

 _Damn you, Taylor._ Anne let out a chuckle, which earned her a glance from Tim. "I'm talking to Julie." She clarified. "She's really funny."

"That she is." He agreed.

The rest of the journey was quiet. Anne closed her eyes for a while, thinking about her parents and what could happen if she called his dad and told him the truth. _Mom would never forgive me if I did that. But dad deserves to know he has another kid on the way, doesn't he?_ After a few moments, her mind returned to Tim, and how he had told her neither of his parents weren't around. _What type of person would abandon their kids like that?_

"Here we are." Tim announced, parking outside his house.

"Already?" Anne asked, incredulously. "I must have gotten lost in my own bubble."

"I thought you might have fallen asleep." He said, opening the door. "You looked so peaceful."

"Don't I always?" She hopped out of the truck and walked towards her house, walking side by side with Tim.

"Thank you for tonight." She said softly once they made it to the door. "For listening, and everything."

"No problem."

She was grateful he couldn't see her flushed face in the dark. "You might wanna put some ice on that lip." Anne blurted out. "Just in case."

Tim smirked. "Will do."

"Good night." Anne said, giving him a pat on the arm. _Awkward much?_

"Night."

Anne turned from him and entered the house in a flash, before she could say or do more embarrassing things. She changed into her pajamas and lay curled up in bed, thinking about these past two weeks in Dillon.

She didn't miss her old house, or anyone from her previous school. But she did miss being able to talk to her mom. She wanted to tell her about all of the friends she'd made, and the things she'd been doing at school. _I'm going to fix all of this tomorrow. I have to._


	8. Chapter 8

I'm sorry I made you guys wait so much. Thank you for all the reviews; they make me really happy.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"Morning." Anne greeted her mother that Saturday. The older woman was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. "How are you?"

"Morning, baby." Janice responded, her eyes on the pancakes she was making. "I'm good, and you?"

"I'm fine." Anne sighed. "Well, except for the fact that we still need to address the elephant in the room."

Janice met her daughter's glare, and dropped the spoon she had been holding. "Annie, there's nothing to t-"

"Stop it, mom!" The girl hissed, exasperated by the entire situation. _There's no backing down now_. "Look, I know dad hurt you, and I'll always resent him for that. But you're pregnant with his baby, and he has a right to know. You can't keep this a secret forever, and you can't force me to lie anymore."

Janice blinked several times, dumbfounded by her daughter's anger. "Listen, baby, I know I've been distant these last few days, b-"

"You've been more than distant!" Anne cut her off again. "You have no idea what's been going on in my life lately. I've made some really amazing friends at school, and I'm also running for vice president. Oh, and last night, I kinda had a date with the kid who lives next door." _Don't let Julie hear me admit that_. "I just miss the way things were between us. I miss you, mom."

Tears were now streaming down Anne's face, and Janice stepped towards her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Annie, I'm sorry."

"I miss you." Annie sobbed in her mother's arms. "I know he cheated on you, but you have to tell him."

"I know." Janice whispered, rubbing Annie's back lightly. "I'm sorry I've been so stubborn. The last thing I wanted to do was make you sad."

Anne pulled away after a few seconds, and wiped the tears from her face. "Are you going to call him now?"

"He's probably busy right now, so I'll do it first thing tomorrow." Janice promised. "It's not a conversation I'm looking forward to."

 _I'm aware_. "Okay."

"Now..." Janice began, changing the subject. "What do you mean you went on a date last night?"

Anne let out a nervous laugh. _I should not have said it like that_. "It wasn't technically a date. I just hung out with him for a while after the game. His name's Tim Riggins, and he lives with his brother Billy. He's on the football team."

Janice's eyes widened. "I've heard some things about that boy. He has quite the reputation, honey."

"Yeah, I know." Anne rolled her eyes. "But he's a good person, and I like being around him. We're just friends." _But I might want more than that..._

"If you say so, baby." Janice nodded, cupping her daughter's cheek. "Let's go eat breakfast now, and you can tell me everything about your new friends."

They sat on the table facing each other, savoring the blueberry pancakes. Anne was relieved that her mother had finally come to her senses, and that some normality had returned to their lives. _She still has to talk to dad, though_.

"So there's Julie Taylor, Matt Saracen, Landry Clarke, and Tim Riggins, all whom I already talked to you about." Anne recalled, taking another bite of her pancake. "Tyra Collette; who is the one running for Student Body president, and who has accepted me as her VP. She lives with her mom and her sister. Then there's Devin Boland, and Lois Becker. I share a couple of classes with them, and I don't know them very well yet, but they're nice."

"That's a lot of friends, Annie." Janice commented, looking impressed. "I'm happy for you."

"Yeah, I'm happy too. Especially considering that Max and Kaylee dropped me like a basket of dirty laundry when I told them I was moving away." Anne said bitterly. "'Friends forever', my ass." She'd been friends with those two girls for years, and while she didn't miss them, their attitude towards her still afflicted her.

"Forget about them." Janice waved off. "You're better off without those spoiled brats, anyway. I never liked them."

"Mom!" Anne whined. _At least she's being honest now._ "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I just didn't want to insult your taste in friends, baby."

"I hope you like the ones that I have now." Anne took a sip of her orange juice. "So, do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?"

Janice frowned, touching her belly. "I don't know. When I found out I was pregnant with you, there was a voice inside my head that kept telling me I was having a girl. But now, that voice is gone. I'll just have to wait a couple of weeks for the doctor to check, just like everyone else."

 _Oh, mom_. "If it's a girl, I think we should name her Claudia."

A sorrowful spark appeared in Janice's eyes, and she shook her head. "I don't think your father is gonna want our baby to be named after my mother. She never liked him. Told me he was just a rich bastard who was going to break my heart, and she was right. She's probably laughing at me right now."

Anne rose from her seat. "Don't say that, mom. It wasn't your fault." She kissed Janice on the cheek, and rubbed her belly. "It's all going to be okay. I'm gonna go for a walk, and then we can think of more names for the baby."

Janice smiled gently; a sight Anne had missed dearly. "Okay, but be back before lunch."

Anne left the house, and wandered by the streets of Dillon, Texas. The madness from last night's game was over, but there were still a few teenagers passed out on the streets. She suspected Tim was lying asleep in the middle of his kitchen, and grinned at the mental image.

It felt good to take her mind off things for a bit. Tomorrow her mom was going to call her dad, and she was positive a screaming match was on the way. _Will he actually want the baby?_ No kid deserved to be abandoned by their father, but there was a part of her that didn't want him around the child. She could count with one hand the times her father had been anything other than indifferent.

Somehow, Anne ended up in the same place she'd been last night. Dillon High's football field. And she wasn't alone.

There was a guy sitting on the bleachers, looking into the distance. _He looks troubled_. Anne didn't want to bother him, but she was curious as to what was wrong with him. "Are you okay?"

"God, you scared me!" He shrieked, turning to look at her. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" She insisted.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" The boy wondered. "Because I've been living here for years, and I've never seen you before."

"That's because I'm new in town." Anne clarified, sitting next to him. "My name's Anne."

A knowing look took over his features. "Oh, Matty told me about you. You work with him at the Alamo Freeze, right?"

"I do." She pursed her lips. "How do you know Matt?"

"I was a Panther." He told her. "I'm Smash."

 _Smash. Of course._ "It's nice to meet you. Matt and Landry told me about you. They said they miss you on the team."

Smash smirked. "I bet they do; especially now that Riggs has taken my place as tailback. I just hope his drunk ass doesn't miss any practices, or Coach Taylor will kick him out for good."

Anne snorted. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Oh, you better pray for him." Smash laughed. "So, what brings you here on this fine Saturday morning?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders. "Family drama. You?"

"Football drama." He replied. "But I'd rather listen to your problems. Come on, talk to the Smash."

 _Matt was right. He does refer to himself in the third person._ "Well, my mom caught my dad cheating, and divorced him. After that, we moved here to start over. But it turns out that she's pregnant with his baby, and hasn't delivered the news to him yet."

Smash remained silent for a moment, and Anne mentally kicked herself. _The guys told me he broke his knee during the playoffs last year. My situation is nothing compared to his._ "Well, damn." Smash exclaimed. "And here I was, worrying about my petty problems."

"I know it sounds stupid, but..."

"No, that's not it." He assured her. "It sounds like there's a lot of baggage between your folks, and that's tough. But you need to remember that it ain't on you."

Anne bit the inside of her lip as his words hit her. "Thanks, Smash. I appreciate it."

"Anytime."

Neither of them said anything else after that. Anne rubbed her eyes and let her hands fall to her lap. She examined the empty field; it didn't look so big now that there weren't any players running around.

Anne actually looked forward to the next game, especially now that there was a slim chance her mother would come with her. She wanted her to meet her friends and Mrs. Taylor. It'd be good for her mom to talk to someone like the principal. Perhaps they could even become friends. _I just hope she doesn't tell her about the strippers incident_.

She stood up, deciding it was best to head home. "I need to go now. Good luck with everything."

Smash cleared his throat. "You too."

Breeze enveloped Anne as she kept walking, lifting her pigtails. Talking to Smash had been comforting, but her worries hadn't completely banished. She wasn't sure what was going to happen tomorrow, but it was time to come clean. _I hate you so much for making things so difficult for us, dad_.

* * *

I love Smash, so I felt the need to include him somehow. But don't worry, he'll get his happy ending. Riggins will be back next chapter, I promise.


	9. Chapter 9

I'm sorry for the long wait. I can't promise when the next update will be, but this story will never be abandoned. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed.

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"So after my mom called him for the fifth time yesterday, he finally picked up, only to hang up the second she told him the news." Anne explained to Julie that morning after the blonde came to pick her up. She was furious over what had happened the day before, when her father had made her mom cry once again.

 _"_ _Twenty years of marriage and I don't even get a reaction?" Janice sobbed, the phone still in her hand. "This is exactly why I didn't want him to know!"_

 _"_ _I'm sorry, mom." Anne said regretfully. "I shouldn't have pushed you."_

 _"_ _It's not your fault, Annie." Janice promised. "Please don't blame yourself."_

"Well, at least the truth is out now." Anne sighed. "Now I can focus on school and stop worrying about my dad's feelings for once."

"I'm really sorry, Anne." Julie said, reaching out for a second to squeeze Anne's hand gently. "If you and your mom need anything, you can come to me."

She fought off the tears, not wanting to cry in front of her friend. _I already did that with Tim, and that was embarrassing enough._ "Thanks, Julie."

"So..." The blonde started, her tone playful now. "What happened with Riggins?"

Anne rolled her eyes. _Of course she wants to know about Tim. Oh well, at least we're changing the subject._ "I told you over the phone that nothing happened, Jules. He took me to a bar, we talked a bit, and then he took me home. End of story."

Julie's expression turned disappointed. "That's it? No hug, no goodnight kiss?"

"Jesus, Julie!" Anne covered her face with her hands. "There was none of that."

Julie laughed. "Okay, I believe you. But just a heads up, half the school saw you two leaving together that night, which means everyone saw you leaving together."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Let me guess. People are gonna be saying we slept together, right?"

"Pretty much." Her friend pursed her lips. "I'm sorry. It's the small town curse. Don't try to let it get to you. By the way, I applied for a job at Applebee's."

"That's great, Julie!" Anne exclaimed. "You'll be working with Tyra!"

"I'm very excited. Speaking of Tyra, the election results are today. Are you nervous?"

"Not really. But I hope we do win. It clearly means a lot to Tyra."

"Yeah, she's been working really hard on her grades and stuff. I'm proud of her." Julie said fondly. "She's come along way since I first met her."

"She's really sweet. I'm glad to have her in my corner. And you."

"Aww, thanks!"

It was true. Julie, Tyra, Matt, Landry, and Tim had been better friends to her in two weeks than Max and Kaylee had been in three years. She felt dumb, recalling all those times where she had let those girls make fun of her clothes or lack of experience with boys. _It's all in the past now. Let it go._

"Oh, by the way." Anne spoke up, trying to get her ex-friends' faces out of her head. "I met Smash over the weekend. Nice guy."

"The school isn't the same without him." Julie pointed out. "I know the team really misses him on the field."

Julie spent the rest of the drive sharing stories with Anne. The blonde told her about the time she and Matt hung out with Smash and his girlfriend Waverly, where she had to lie to make Waverly believe Smash cared about stuff that wasn't football. She also told her about the days where Tim had lived in her house.

"I can promise you that I do not miss running into him in the bathroom." Julie giggled.

Anne burst into laughter, picturing the situation. "I bet your dad was relieved when he left." While she hadn't met Coach Taylor yet, Julie's stories about him had her thinking he was an overprotective and supporting dad. _He sounds nothing like mine._

When Anne and Julie arrived at Dillon High, they were greeted by a very cheerful Tyra.

"Haven't you heard?" She gushed, wrapping her arms around Anne. "We won!"

"Are you serious?" Anne responded, returning the hug. "That's amazing!"

Tyra proceeded to hug Julie, who showered her with praises. _This is exactly what I needed today._

"I have to find Landry!" Tyra jabbered. "I'll see you guys later!"

After saying goodbye to Tyra, they headed to algebra class. Shockingly, Tim was already there, looking exhausted, but not any less attractive.

"Hey, Tim." Anne greeted him, taking a seat. "Hangover?"

"My head hurts." He confirmed. "I heard you and Tyra won the elections. Congratulations."

"Thanks! We own the school now."

"Is that right?"

Anne was about to respond, when she noticed her fellow classmates were staring at her and Tim. She just smiled slightly at him, and tried to ignore the whispers.

 _"I saw her and Riggins leaving Applebee's together after the game."_

 _"I bet they did it on his truck."_

 _"No, they probably went to his house."_

 _"Do you think Lyla joined them later?"_

"Silence!" Mr. Johnson yelled. Anne had completely forgotten the teacher was there. "I know we're all delighted with the results of last Friday's game, but there's a time for football, and a time for numbers. So concentrate, please."

"Ignore them." Julie advised. "They're so bored with their lives that they need to create rumors to entertain themselves."

Anne nodded, appreciating her comforting words. _Julie is right._ _Who cares what they think?_

She sat with Tyra, Julie, Lois, and Devin during lunch. Tyra commented that Mrs. Taylor was still angry about the stripers, and that they had to work extra hard to prove her they were taking the whole presidency thing seriously.

"Don't worry about my mom." Julie assured them. "She always worries too much, that's all."

"I like that she worries. I just don't want to disappoint her." Tyra pouted.

"Cheer up, ladies." Devin said. "I'm sure you'll do a nice job."

"Anne, whatever you do, don't turn around." Lois suddenly said, startling the girl.

"Why, what's wrong?" She asked nervously, doing exactly what she was told not to do. _Oh, this is disgusting._ Tim was standing in the middle of the cafeteria, making out with some blonde girl whose name Anne didn't know. It was a gross sight, but she couldn't help but stare.

Fortunately, Julie snapped her fingers, bringing her back to reality. "Earth to Anne."

"Sorry, I was just..."

"Wishing that was you?" Lois suggested.

"No!" She denied a little too quickly. "Well... maybe?"

Tyra shook her head. "He's got you under his spell, and you need to snap out of it. You're way too good for him."

"There's nothing wrong with Tim." Anne whispered.

"Oh, there's plenty. Trust me."

"We won't judge you if you wanna go for it, but try to be careful." Devin warned. "This is Riggins we're talking about."

 _Careful of what?_ Nothing was going to happen. She and Tim were just friends. He wasn't interested in her, so there was nothing to be worried about. _For Christ's sake, Anne! Stop watching Tim, and eat your food._

English class couldn't exactly help Anne get her mind off Tim, considering that he was on it as well.

"Morning, everyone." Mrs. Fisher said. "I have excellent news. Today, you're all going to be paired up, so we can start our new assignment. With your partners, I want you to analyze any book of your choosing and write a two-page essay, describing what you got from it."

Anne groaned. There was nothing worse than not being able to choose your own study partner. Working with someone you barely knew was awkward, so she crossed her fingers, hoping to get paired up with Julie.

"Alright, let's start with Julie Taylor..." The teacher skimmed the list. "...and Tim Riggins."

Julie and Tim exchanged a glance. There was muffled laughter around the classroom, and a few girls hissed in disappointment.

Julie leaned in. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Oh, come on." Anne giggled. "It's your lucky day." _Thank God Matt isn't a jealous guy._

She was willing to bet Tim was over the moon by this news, considering that Julie was one of the top students. But the Coach's daughter was probably going to have a hard time getting the fullback to contribute with the assignment.

"Then we'll have Annette Bradshaw with..." The brunette looked around the round for her prospective partner. Just as her eyes landed on her, Mrs. Fisher finished. "...Lyla Garrity."

Anne blushed slightly when Lyla's eyes met hers. _Well... it could have been worse, right?_ Lyla gave her a friendly smile, which she struggled to return. It's not like she had anything against the ex-cheerleader; she just didn't know her that much. The few times they had spoken had been nothing but brief.

After Mrs. Fisher finished giving everyone a partner, the class continued. When the bell rang, Anne was approached by a very enthusiastic Lyla. "Hey, Anne. Do you wanna get together after school to work on the project?"

"S-sure." Anne stammered, grabbing her backpack. "Your place or mine?"

"We can do it at my house, if that's okay with you." Lyla offered. "My dad will be at work, so we'll have the place all to ourselves. You game?"

"Sounds good." Anne confirmed, noticing that Julie was waiting for her by the door. "I'll see you later."

She joined the Taylor girl in a flash and groaned.

"What's wrong?" Julie asked.

"Nothing. I just really wanted us to be partners."

"At least you got Lyla, who has perfect grades." Julie pointed out. "I'm stuck with Riggins. My mom forced Landry to tutor him once, and he almost killed him."

"He can't be that bad."

"Oh, he is."

The girls laughed together, walking hand-by-hand in the hallway.

"Oh my God, I totally forgot to tell you!" Julie suddenly said.

"What is it?"

"Matt went to see his mom this weekend, and got emancipated."

Anne's eyes widened. "Wow, that's... huge."

"I know!" Julie exclaimed. "But he did it so he could take care of his grandma and-"

"Are you talking about my grandma?" Matt cut her off, joining them on their way to class.

"Jesus Christ, Matt!" Anne shouted. "Where did you come from? You scared me!"

"I'm sorry." He said, amused. "I didn't mean to."

"I was just telling Anne that you're a free man now." Julie explained.

"Yeah, I'm free..." Matt trailed off. "Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you on your big win, Anne."

"Oh, it's more Tyra's win than mine, but thank you." Anne said.

 _I wonder if it was hard for him to see his mom after such a long time._ She suspected there was a lot more to Matt's story that she didn't know, but stopped herself from asking. The day went by a little different than usual; with people staring at her even more than before, and the whispers becoming louder and harder to ignore.

 _"I heard that she's been partnered up with Lyla to work on a project!"_

 _"That is so awkward!"_

 _"You think they'll fight over Riggins?"_

 _"Now that is a catfight I'd pay money to see!"_

 _"I'd only pay if they both made out at the end of it."_

 _"Do you think Tyra will join them?"_

 _"In the fighting or the making out?"_

 _"Both, you idiot!"_

Anne did her best to ignore making eye contact with the gossipers. She didn't want them to know they were getting to her. _These people are lucky that I'm not a violent person, or else I'd be ripping their heads off!_

* * *

Lyla's house wasn't actually that far from Anne's. She entered the place awkwardly, feeling anxious about being alone with the ex-cheerleader. Sure, she seemed nice enough, but what if Tim came up in a conversation?

Anne noticed that there were several pictures of Lyla in a cheerleader uniform, and a bunch where she was accompanied by two people that appeared to be her parents, as well as a young boy and a young girl. _So she's not an only child. Interesting._

The picture that stood out the most, however, was the one where she was standing between Tim and a guy in a wheelchair Anne hadn't seen before. _That must be Jason._

"Would you like something to drink?" Lyla offered.

"Sure, thanks."

Lyla disappeared into the kitchen, urging Anne to take a seat on the dining room table. She came back less than two minutes later, holding two glasses of orange juice. Anne took one, and drank it all at once.

"You were thirsty, ugh?" Lyla teased.

"Yeah, very." Anne chuckled nervously. "The weather here is always hot as hell. I don't mind it, though."

"Do you miss Los Angeles?"

"I miss certain things about it." She answered truthfully. "But Texas isn't so bad. The people are a lot attentive, that's for sure. I'm very happy to be living here."

"That's good."

Silence fell upon them, so Anne took the opportunity to open her backpack and take out her things. "I don't know what type of books you like, but I've read this one recently, and it's pretty good." She handed Lyla her copy of 'The Waves' by Virginia Woolf. "It's short and sweet. You can read it, and let me know if you wanna use it for the assignment."

Lyla took the book, and examed its cover. "Okay, I'll read it tonight and give you my thoughts tomorrow. Looks like this is going to be easy."

"I was actually worried for a second." Anne admitted. "Thought things would be weird between us."

"Because of Tim?" Lyla guessed.

 _Damn it._ "K-kinda. I mean, it's not like he's my boyfriend or anything. But we've been hanging out, and I thought that maybe that'd bother you..."

Lyla shook her head. "None at all. Tim and I are just friends. We've both decided it's for the best."

"Oh." _So I've been worried over nothing, after all._ "Well, that's good... for both of you, I mean. It's good to have friends." Anne blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Tim and I are just friends, too. He's a nice guy."

The Garrity girl gave her a lopsided grin, turning her attention back to the book. Anne was about to tell her a bit about it when her phone buzzed.

 ** _Hey Annie! Long time no see! Pls remember that this Saturday is my bday, and you're invited! You can bring someone if you want. Don't forget my present ;) xo, Max_**

 _Is she kidding me?_ Anne hadn't heard from Max in weeks, and now she was getting an invitation to her birthday? How was she supposed to fly from Texas to L.A.? _Dad's checks... wait, am I seriously considering this?_

Max's parties were known to be wild and destructive. Her house was huge, and her parents were always out of town, so there was no adult supervision whatsoever. Things would either break or go missing, but Max didn't care. She'd always have everything fixed and replaced the next day. Anne always fell out of place at those parties, but could never stop herself from going. She let out a sigh, and her eyes met Lyla's.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah..." She started. _It's pointless to think about her. Max doesn't care about me. She didn't even ask me how I was doing._ "Everything's perfect."

* * *

While this is a Tim/OC story, Anne will always be the main character. I want her to interact with other people that aren't Tim, which is why I didn't pair them up for the assignment.

I know things might be going slow right now, but some drama will unfold soon. I apologize if there were any grammar mistakes.

Thank you for reading!


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